WHEN teenager Rachel Flanders told her parents she was planning to row across the Atlantic, they took it with a pinch of salt.

She applied for a place on the Woodvale Challenge Atlantic Rowing Race on a whim - and without discussing it with her parents, Richard and Louise.

They were convinced she would not be allowed the time off from her studies at Bolton School to take part - or not be accepted because of her age, and almost forgot about her plans.

But two weeks later, Rachel was a fully signed-up member of the Atlantic Angels boat squad - and at the age of 17, all set to become the youngest person in the world to row the Atlantic.

On Thursday, she made it into the record books, after finishing the 3,000-mile race from La Gomera, in the Canary Islands, to Antigua in the Caribbean.

She completed the journey with team-mates Sarah Duff, aged 24, Clair Desborough, aged 32, and Fiona Waller, aged 32, after 75 days at sea.

And her parents had travelled from Bolton to be there to greet her.

Rachel heard about the epic race from her father who read The Crossing, a book about about Olympic rower James Cracknell and TV presenter Ben Fogle, who crossed the Atlantic in 2005. Mr Flanders said: "She said she fancied doing something like that.

"We went on to the website to find out more information about the race.

"I left her looking at the website, not really thinking any more about it.

"Then, I remember I was in the kitchen and she came through saying she had replied to an advert looking for a fourth rower.

"She was only 16 at the time so we thought there was no chance she would get accepted.

"Louise called the organisers to ask if there was an age limit.

"At first they said the limit was 65 but when Louise explained it was the other end of the scale, they told her it was normally 18. They said if we were comfortable with it then they would go along with it.

"Then Rachel went to meet the some of the girls in London and they accepted her. It all happened in the space of about two weeks."

Having crossed the first hurdle, Mr and Mrs Flanders expected staff at Bolton School would want Rachel to concentrate on her A-levels and discourage her from embarking on the adventure. But the school couldn't have been more supportive of Rachel's attempt.

Mr Flanders said: "We went to see the headmistress at school and she encouraged Rachel and offered anything the school could do to help."

Weeks of training and preparation quickly passed and before the family knew it, they were in La Gomera, waiting to watch the Atlantic Angels set off.

Rachel's first night at sea was difficult for her parents and 12-year-old brother, Charles.

Mr Flanders said: "We couldn't sleep on the first night. It was very difficult and very emotional. I must admit I shed a tear.

"I remember at 3am I went to the balcony and thought I could just get a boat and go to collect her."

The family followed the girls' journey every day, through the highs and the lows.

"At times it felt like we were living and breathing it with her, Mrs Flanders said.

"I thought about them every single day.

"It was an emotional roller coaster -- some days she would be crying, which was really hard, and other days she'd be really pleased with their progress."

Yesterday Rachel was relaxing in an Antigua hotel, having enjoyed her first night's sleep in a bed in 75 days.

She said: "It was great to be in a real bed after so long. But it was weird not being with the others and saying good night to them.

"Having a shower for the first time was amazing as well."

She has already decided that she would like to row across another ocean, perhaps the Indian or Pacific, but wants to do her A-levels and go to university first.

To her parents, she will be a record breaker whatever she achieves in later life.

"I'm very proud of her. I think she has done an amazing feat, especially for someone so young.," Mr Flanders said.

"I think she will be a different person. She won't be a normal 17-year-old any more."